Mental health recovery. Arguments in black and white
Posted Mar 27 2011 11:36pm
A friend and I were talking about the subject of mental health recovery. He said, “You know with so many people convinced they are right you would think we might know more than we know. Everyone has studies and statistics to show they are right and a great ability to ignore anything or anybody that contradicts them.”
I think the preponderance of what I believe the evidence to be shows clearly that medication is not nearly as effective as claimed, not nearly as safe as claimed. I believe that the preponderance of the evidence shows that pharmaceutical companies would not know the truth if it came up and bit them on the nose. I believe that a narrow minded focus on medication takes attention and focus away from other things equally important and even more central to mental health recovery. I believe that the prescription of medications is based on a system of diagnosis which is artificial, a matter of human decision and not scientific discovery, cumbersome and frequently inaccurate that the people who prescribe the medications dont even agree on how to use. I believe that many people I know have been tortured by years and years of a fruitless search for the “right medication” which has destroyed their self esteem and hope and made daily life more pain and misery than anything else. And finally I believe I have known people who have either died or whose health has been damaged beyond repair by their experience with psychotropic medication.
On the other hand I am totally convinced that I know many people whose lives have been saved and changed in a positive manner at least in part because of the medication they take. I am totally convinced that I know people who would have committed suicide without the stabilization that medication in part has helped them to find.
I believe that the evidence shows that the theories about why medication works when it does are unproven and basically nonsense. I believe that theories about why medication doesnt work are just that -theories. I believe the worst about medications are true and the best about medications are true. I believe the scales tip strongly against the promises made by those who argue for medication, but that is just my belief. I believe the most outstanding thing about what we know is what we dont know.
Most of all I believe that people have the right to choose. People can help me to open my eyes if they wish, but in the end I have the right to choose. I think most choices are not clear and perfect. I tend to believe far more in one side than the other, but I do not believe it is black and white. I have trouble with those who would convince me that their absolute truth is better than someone else’s absolute truth. In the end, I must confess, I wonder if that does not do greater harm to me than any medication I do or do not take. Be careful. The choice is full of danger. But the choice is yours and do not let anyone tell you that you would be better off letting them make it for you.
A friend and I were talking about the subject of mental health recovery. He said, “You know with so many people convinced they are right you would think we might know more than we know. Everyone has studies and statistics to show they are right and a great ability to ignore anything or anybody that contradicts them.”
I think the preponderance of what I believe the evidence to be shows clearly that medication is not nearly as effective as claimed, not nearly as safe as claimed. I believe that the preponderance of the evidence shows that pharmaceutical companies would not know the truth if it came up and bit them on the nose. I believe that a narrow minded focus on medication takes attention and focus away from other things equally important and even more central to mental health recovery. I believe that the prescription of medications is based on a system of diagnosis which is artificial, a matter of human decision and not scientific discovery, cumbersome and frequently inaccurate that the people who prescribe the medications dont even agree on how to use. I believe that many people I know have been tortured by years and years of a fruitless search for the “right medication” which has destroyed their self esteem and hope and made daily life more pain and misery than anything else. And finally I believe I have known people who have either died or whose health has been damaged beyond repair by their experience with psychotropic medication.
On the other hand I am totally convinced that I know many people whose lives have been saved and changed in a positive manner at least in part because of the medication they take. I am totally convinced that I know people who would have committed suicide without the stabilization that medication in part has helped them to find.
I believe that the evidence shows that the theories about why medication works when it does are unproven and basically nonsense. I believe that theories about why medication doesnt work are just that -theories. I believe the worst about medications are true and the best about medications are true. I believe the scales tip strongly against the promises made by those who argue for medication, but that is just my belief. I believe the most outstanding thing about what we know is what we dont know.
Most of all I believe that people have the right to choose. People can help me to open my eyes if they wish, but in the end I have the right to choose. I think most choices are not clear and perfect. I tend to believe far more in one side than the other, but I do not believe it is black and white. I have trouble with those who would convince me that their absolute truth is better than someone else’s absolute truth. In the end, I must confess, I wonder if that does not do greater harm to me than any medication I do or do not take. Be careful. The choice is full of danger. But the choice is yours and do not let anyone tell you that you would be better off letting them make it for you.